Making The Most Of The Cameras Photography Communities

By Mike Selvon

 

The cameras photography buffs use are like paints for an artist. The first camera was made in 1685, but a permanent photograph did not come around until 1826 and was by Joseph Nicéphore Niépce using a special sliding wooden box.

Technology has come along way in the development of the cameras photography individuals use. Several types exist for the photography community to take advantage of today.

Cameras photography enthusiasts use varied types of cameras. Many prefer the newer digital arts cameras over the old prints photography cameras. The digital cameras allow for photo sharing on the web and also for the image to be deleted or saved if need be.

However, the basic camera that uses film is still less expensive. Some people may be ready for the technology change, but their pocketbooks may not be.

Another thing to consider with cameras photography enthusiasts use is whether the lens will be built into the camera or whether it will be detachable. For taking wildlife photography, a detachable lens is usually needed. The detachable lens allows the photographer to be able to zoom in closer and capture intimate details that otherwise would not be caught.

The new digital cameras, however, have zoom lenses that can reach far, but still not as far as the basic camera with a detachable lens. Again, the use of the cameras photography buffs will use must be taken into account in order to pick the right camera for the job.

Cameras photography communities use are so varied that anybody can use them. No matter whether the camera is digital, basic film, ones with detachable lenses, or ones with built in zoom lenses cameras are a hot commodity for people of all ages to have them.

Teens are so happy when they are given a camera as a gift. Older people even enjoy getting a new camera. Pictures are great memories, and with the right camera, every picture taken can make a special memory last.

The art of digital photography brings great memories to anyone. Browse to Mike Selvon portal to find out more about cameras photography communities. We greatly appreciate your feedback at our photography blog. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mike_Selvon

Digital Camera Aperture Settings

By Jill Kane 

 

A great photograph depends on a lot of things. A great view, a good camera, good light and of course, aperture settings and shutter speeds. What exactly does the aperture do? It is, basically, an aperture or an opening. The size determines how much light enters the camera through this opening and falls on the image sensor to form the digital photograph. Did too much light get through? Your photograph could be a washout. Was it too little? You'll get a dark picture.

Apertures come in different sizes - all classified as 'f' numbers. Each number lets in double the amount of light as the previous one. The standard is between f/1.8 and f/16. The smaller the aperture, the less light that will be let in. So an f/16 lens will let in half the amount of light as an f/8 lens. The aperture works in conjunction with the shutter as well when it comes to the amount of light let in. The speed at which the shutter opens and shuts is also a factor that determines the amount of light. When it comes to fast-paced action, a fast shutter speed is essential to capture the motion. For a landscape or a posed photograph a slower shutter speed is fine.

A photographer who is extremely particular will adjust both the aperture as well as the shutter speed. A perfect balance between the two could very often bring about that one perfect picture. It needs a trained eye in order to judge perfectly exactly what the settings should be. What he would also take into account is the depth of field, that is, how much of the image remains in focus. In larger apertures, there is just a short range that is in focus, whereas smaller apertures have a much deeper range, going from the foreground close by to way back, deep into the background. It would all depend on the kind of shot to determine what the settings should be.

For those of us who do not have the inclination, the understanding or the patience, we can always resort to the automatic setting. It's simple, the camera does all the work of adjusting for you and you get a good photograph. It might not be a work of art as might a photograph that a true professional photographer might have taken, but most cameras today give you a very acceptable quality.

Why do we need aperture settings at all? The simple, old cameras didn't have any. If you choose a camera with aperture settings like a telephoto, wide-angle and maximum aperture features, you know that even in an automatic setting, you will get different kinds of pictures, not the same, flat look. It gives you the freedom to take any kind of shot, anywhere, in any light. Otherwise you might find yourself restricted to typical, posed cheesy pictures without too much character or depth.

For more helpful digital photography information, visit Digital-Photgraphy-Help.com at www.digital-photography-help.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jill_Kane

3 Ways To Buy Cheap Digital Cameras

By Ricky Lim

 

It used to be that not too long ago if you want to buy cheap digital camera, you have to spend a lot of time shopping around for the cheapest digital camera in town. People probably visit a couple of shopping centers in their neighborhood and then compare which is the cheapest. This is not only tedious but a huge time waster.

Today, by using the internet, you can easily locate the cheapest digital camera you want at the comfort of your own home. You can even order a digital camera online and the camera will be delivered without you stepping out of the house.

The problem is the internet is such a big place and it can be difficult at times to find where to buy cheap digital camera.

Here are a few places you can try online :

1) Product Comparison Sites

Product or shopping comparison sites such as techbargain and cnet.com allows you to easily find the digital camera you want to buy across hundreds of online stores. It allows you to compare the prices at a glance plus sometimes any promotion code offered by a online store is also listed saving you some money.

2) Ebay

Ebay is known as a bargain center. You can find the digital camera model you want to buy quite easily and can get it at quite a deal. The only problem is you do not know the condition of the digital camera you are buying and it can be a bit of a gamble. So it's important you buy from reputable ebay sellers with a good feedback score.

3) Digital Camera Forums

The last way is to visit specialized digital camera forums. They provide useful information by other digital camera users and let you know whether a digital camera is worth the price to buy. Sometimes discount promotion offers can be discovered as well.

The three methods above is what I use to buy cheap digital camera. It is much easier and less time consuming than to visit each electronic store one at a time.

Ricky Lim is an avid nikon digital camera fan. Visit his site for more reviews on olympus digital camera and sony digital camera. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ricky_Lim

What You Need to Know When Buying a Digital Camera

By Patrick Rafferty

 

As digital cameras continue to grow in popularity, traditional film cameras will become a thing of the past. Many of the people I work with, however, are intimidated by some of the technological advances that these wonderful little gadgets bring about. Therefore people often have difficulty deciding on the right camera to meet their needs.

The fact of the matter is that a good many cameras will meet the needs of an average user. As we learn to navigate through the various screens and utilize the features, we become more and more comfortable with the one we have. So in this article I will try to explain the various important differences between them, and what you should understand when purchasing one.

Megapixels
New cameras come in a variety of megapixels, these days 3 to 8 megapixels are very common. Most people think that a higher megapixel camera means a clearer picture, and although that is true to some extent, it only really matters when you enlarge a picture, it is not necessarily true if you are only printing out 4X6 photo's. A picture taken with a 3 megapixel camera will look just as good to the human eye as any other. So if you do not intend to print out poster size prints, then an 8 megapixel camera may be beyond your needs.

If you are into scrapbooking, or photo-editing, however you may want to consider a higher megapixel camera, because the picture will stay clearer when you crop out a small piece and enlarge it.

The trade off to a higher megapixel camera is a larger file size per photo. In other words each picture will take up more space on a memory card resulting in the card filling up faster.

Zoom
Most cameras have two types of zoom, the first is called Optical Zoom, and is the better of the two. Optical zoom is the lens mechanism moving in and out, giving the appearance of a close up. This is the type of zoom you should be more concerned with. Most cameras come with between 3X and 12X Optical Zoom. A higher optical zoom requires a larger lens size, so a camera with 10X or 12X zoom will probably not fit in your pocket.

The second type of zoom is the Digital Zoom. What happens here is this, when the optical zoom is maxed out, the digital zoom takes over by pushing the picture a little closer by expanding the size of the megapixels. This can compromise on the overall clarity of the picture making it look fuzzy or pixilated. Pretty much all cameras have some sort of digital zoom, and less expensive cameras may have no optical zoom at all, but the digital zoom will be there. The clarity difference is less obvious in a higher megapixel camera.

Memory (Flash) Card
When you buy a digital camera you should also be prepared to buy a memory card. Although most cameras come with either a small card or a small amount of internal memory to store pictures on, many will not hold more then 10 or 15 pictures.

Memory cards have come way down in price these days. It is possible, if you watch the sales fliers, to get a 1 gigabyte card for around $20 bucks.

With a 3 megapixel camera, a 1 gigabyte card will hold over 800 pictures. That number goes lower with a higher megapixel camera.

Batteries
Another important factor in choosing a camera will be what you want to use for batteries. Some camera's come with a specialized rechargeable battery pack that is designed specifically for that camera. These particular cameras will also come with a charger. Others take AA batteries, however digital cameras are high drain devices, so alkaline batteries don't tend to last very long in them. Most manufacturers will include a complimentary set of alkaline, but don't expect them to last very long as many cameras can kill a set of these batteries in 5 or 6 pictures. It would be more beneficial and much less costly to purchase a set of NiMH batteries with a charger for around $30 bucks. These last longer and usually come in packs of four, giving you an extra set to take pictures with.

Many cameras offer a way to lessen the drain on the batteries, by switching off the LCD screen and using the view finder.

Lag Time
For most people, a simple "point and shoot" camera is adequate. Many easily fit in your pocket, and they take great pictures close up. Cameras with a larger optical zoom tend to be larger, and would not fit in your shirt pocket. If you intend to take pictures at your kids basketball game, you may want to consider one of these, not only for the higher zoom resulting in more of a close-up shot, but many of these larger cameras decrease the shutter time. Many of the smaller cameras have a lag time of up to a second between the time you press the button and the time the picture is actually taken. A second can be an eternity at any sporting event.

Photo Editing Software
There is also a range of photo editing software available, the most popular being Adobe's Photoshop Elements. However there are many other titles available that you may be perfectly happy with, including the less expensive Photo Explosion and Microsoft Digital Image.

Many of these software titles give you the ability to enhance photos as well as a range of creative endeavors from making greeting cards to calendars etc.

Photo Printers
Many new inkjet printers are photo quality, and you would never be able to tell the difference between one from your own printer and one from your local photo shop.

There are now also portable photo printers such as the Epson Picture Mate and Kodak Easy Share which are not inkjet printers, but instead complete photo labs in a small package. These use a dye-sublimation process to print your pictures. The benefit to these is mobility, and the claim is that your pictures will last over a hundred years in a photo album.

Other then that, be sure to read user reviews on any model you would consider purchasing. If some are problematic, people will talk about the defects, ease of use, clarity of pictures, etc. This way you can be sure to get the right camera for your needs.

Patrick Rafferty is webmaster for http://www.SpecialtySites24-7.com He is also otherwise known as the Blogmaster of http://www.VoodooWhoDo.com When he's not doing all of that, he is a computer tech and electronics sales person at a regular job. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Patrick_Rafferty

7 Tips for Great Digital Photographs

By Matt Smolsky

 

Before you can begin to share photo memories with family and friends, you need to take great digital shots that are razor-sharp and crystal-clear. After all, there's nothing quite so frustrating as when your photos of memorable events like a graduation or a vacation turn out blurry or fuzzy or just plain dull.

The good news is great photos can really be a snap -- if you keep in mind a few important tips. I guarantee that in no time you'll create photo stories and share photo memories like a real pro!

Tip #1: Buy a camera you're comfortable with!

There are many digital cameras to choose from and, with all the bells and whistles, making a selection is not easy. While all these "extra" features are great to have, ask yourself these two question: What do I really need and what can afford? Then make your selection and learn all you can about the model you buy. And keep the camera's manual close at hand so you can continually refer to it.

Tip #2: Keep the camera steady

The #1 reason our photographs turn out fuzzy or blurry is that the camera is shaking. As you probably have found out, the slightest movement can be disastrous, especially when you want to share photo memories or create photo stories. But keeping a steady hand is not easy. So to ensure that create photo stories that are really sharp and clear every time, you can do three things -- use a tripod (not likely but it is foolproof)...or simply put your camera on any flat surface (not always realistic)...or you can just lean back on a wall or tree and hold yourself steady.

Remember, a still holder and a still camera will make all the difference in the world if you want to produce clear, sharp photos share you'll be proud of.

Tip #3: When to use your flash

The flash is used to eliminate dark shadows. But it's also tends to create a barrier that can actually wash out the natural mood that's so important to capturing mood and feel. So the important decision is when to use it -- and not use it. Disregard the urge to use the flash when you camera tells you to.

Instead, whenever you can, use the natural light that's available. In a darkened setting, instead of the flash, turn out all surrounding lights to highlight the room. You'll be amazed at how easily your will create photo stories that are beautiful and poignant.

Be sure to know your flash's range. For most cameras, the maximum range is less than 15 feet. Keep this in mind and you'll be able to share photo memories that look like works of art!

Tip #4: Bring your photos to life

Here's a simple way to turn ordinary photos into unusual and interesting shots. Don't keep your subject in the middle of the frame. Instead, simply shift the image slightly to the left or the right. You'll be delighted with the results.

Tip #5: Turn your camera sideways!

Now why would you want to do that? The answer shouldn't be a surprise. With a vertical shot, you can create photo stories that are much more intriguing. Try it for yourself. You'll soon be taking all sorts of vertical photos –- and enjoying the more!

Tip #6: Be creative!

Don't let the photo control you. You control the photo. Use your imagination and your creativity and you'll get plenty of compliments when you share photo memories with family and friends.

Change locations. Add props. Arrange your subjects and photograph them in different poses. You'll create photo stories that will be a source of pride and joy forever.

Tip #7: Preserve your memories

You never know where or when that next great photo op will present itself! So be prepared -- carry additional memory cards. Just like a computer, you need some backup. Believe me, sooner or later, you'll need that extra storage capacity. And when you share photo memories with the people in your life and see the smiles on their faces, you'll be glad you had the extra backup.

Photographs can help you create wonderful family keepsakes that tell the stories of your life. Keep these tips in mind when you create photo stories, and you'll be preserving a lasting legacy for future generations to enjoy.

Matt Smolsky develops marketing programs and has written articles for a variety of clients, including HOORRAY, a new way to share photo memories. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Matt_Smolsky

Photography Poses - The Missing Ingredient

By Robert Bezman

 

You've read all the "best digital camera" articles, got the best price on your first digital camera, and even glanced at its owner's manual. Are you itching to take some shots of your family, or what?

Slow down, soldier. Before you take 200 shots that seem great at the time, but then upon review of the final picture are less than what you expected, let's prepare. Prepare?!?! I'll bet you thought charging the battery was the hardest part of taking great photos, didn't you? Sorry to disappoint you, but if you want to improve your photo results 50% in 2 minutes, let's review some basic advice of the pros.

There are two categories of GENERAL ADVICE which applies, regardless of whether you're using a digital camera to take family portrait poses, baby pictures, pet portraits, group pictures, funny photos, or even maternity portraits. The first category is...

"Good Planning" Advice for Photography Poses

1) Prepare For The Event

Prepare for the event by thinking about every photograph you want to take and what kind of photography pose or poses you would like to capture. Consider who, where, how, and the type of environment.

2) Take Multiple Photographs

Take multiple shots of each pose (remember, digital memory is reusable, a.k.a. "free"). Regardless of what you say or do, people will blink. And don't count on spotting small problems on the tiny camera LCD screen (even on full magnification); which leads to...

3) Check LCD Screen

Check the digital camera's LCD screen for general framing of the picture, any movement, visibility of faces, and the histogram. Note that you can think up a fantastic photography pose; arrange everyone perfectly; and, have the photograph "frozen" (no blinking, and no shaking of the camera)...but, when you check it out in the LCD, you see 2 drunks fighting in the background! And, my favorite...

4) Funny Phrases

Have some funny phrases handy to use just before you take the photo. Don't use it when setting up for the shot. And, don't use the same phrase all the time. Throw in funny anecdotes, phrases, names, words that you know your family will find more amusing than "cheese." A natural smile looks four times better than a fake one. The second category is...

"Location" Advice for Photography Poses

Taking indoor family photography, is very different than outdoor family photograph (duh!). For INDOOR pictures...

1) Wide Angle

You will tend to use the wide angle more often than your telephoto setting. Pay particular attention to your "end people" (those farthest to the right and the left in your viewfinder), and verify there is enough space in picture, so that if cropping is required, the end people don't have to lose a limb.

2) The Flash

Flash considerations are critical. Do not be outside your "flash range." For example, if at ISO 100, your flash can properly illuminate 12 feet, don't attempt any photography pose that requires anyone to stand at 14 feet (unless, of course, it's evil cousin Ira who you want to appear in darkness).

3) Plan "B"

If you need to be further away than your flash allows, here are 2 things you can try...First, increase the ISO setting (but not so much as to produce to much noise), or second, move to a significantly brighter location.

4) Watch Your Background

If there are distracting features, change your settings to blur the background (see the Techniques page). The best photography pose in the world won't look right with a distracting background. And finally...

5) Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall

If there are mirrors or reflective surfaces in the background and you can't find a different location, only take the picture in such a way that the flash is not perpendicularto the surface, but at an angle (unless you want a nice photo of your flash).

Outdoor family photography has completely different issues. For OUTDOOR photography...

6) The Sun

Avoid photographing in direct sunlight, or in mixed light and shade, especially faces. Optimal lighting results from a slightly overcast sky.

7) Shade

When photographing in shade, use fill-flash (see terms) when necessary. And, really finally...

8) Beauty

If practical, take the picture at one of the beautiful natural settings near you. Imagine the result of a creative photography pose captured in a stunning environment. Can you say: "Over the mantle!"?

To see some sample pictures including more photography tips, go to www.best-family-photography-tips.com/photography-pose.html.

Copyright 2005 Robert Bezman. All rights reserved.

Robert Bezman is a professional photographer and owner of Custom Photographic Expressions. Robert has created http://www.best-family-photography-tips.com to help beginning and intermediate photographers create better photographs. Robert has an eBook for new parents and grandparents that's a must-see for anyone wanting to dramatically improve the quality of their baby's pictures. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_Bezman

 

Taking Pictures in Bad Weather #1

By Eric Hartwell

 

It's always a struggle going out in bad weather. Cold days and nights, rain, fog and that welcoming warm fire at home. But, if you can overcome the temptation to stay at home then you could get some great images.

Rain is wet, but it brings forth opportunities for great photos. Reflections, highlights and the beautiful glistening of water on plants. Puddles, bloated rivers and people in raincoats and holding umbrellas. Don't forget the chances of seeing dramatic skies and cloud formations and wait for the sun to burst through an overcast sky spreading light onto the wet world below.

There are ways to keep your equipment dry - but staying in shouldn't be one of them! Umbrellas are effective but difficult to hold. However, if you have a rucksack then you can slide the handle in-between the rucksack and your back. You might feel silly but it will enable you to use both hands to get some great pictures. Even a plastic bag is effective and if you want to spend a fortune, you can get customised waterproof covers for your model of camera. Look, also, for shelter - shop fronts, bus shelters, buildings, trees etc. But don't forget, it is unlikely that your equipment will suffer any lasting damage just because you have got a few drops of rain on it. One tip I picked up just recently is to always have an elastic band handy so that you can attach things to your equipment to protect it.

Have a good look around as you will see many opportunities for a good picture. Rain reflects light - look in puddles and other standing areas of water. In towns and cities you will find shops, statues and just about every other object look different in the wet and, more importantly, reflect off standing water or moist paths and roads. Carl lights can create pleasing reflections on damp or wet roads.

You will be using longer exposure times and therefore may be best taking a tripod with you. If you don't have one then improvise - a wall, bean bag, leaning the camera against an upright or horizontal object (e.g. a bench).

Eric oversees the worlds best home page a user-led resource - do you wish to contribute your opinions? Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eric_Hartwell

 

Digital Photography Tips - Using Exposure Compensation To Improve Your Digital Photos

By Dave Hunt 

 

The automatic exposure feature on today’s inexpensive digital cameras is often better than the auto exposure was on expensive film cameras 10 years ago. Advances in computers allow a very sophisticated auto exposure brain to be packed into a tiny space in today’s digital cameras.

But even the most sophisticated auto exposure features can sometimes simply make an error or read the scene wrong and set the wrong exposure. The exposure compensation feature of your digital camera enables you to compensate for these mis-readings by making your photos lighter or darker than you would get using auto exposure alone. Here are some tips for improving your digital photos by using the exposure compensation feature of your digital camera.

1. Take a photo and check the exposure – After you take your photo, review it in your camera’s LCD screen. One of the joys of digital photography is that you can always lighten or darken a digital photo later using Photoshop or another kind of digital photo editing software. However, while you’re still on the scene, why not use the exposure compensation feature to make the correction in the original. Photoshop can darken a picture after the fact, but it can’t bring back details that were lost in an overly bright section of your original photo. If they got washed out when the picture was taken, they are simply not there to bring back.

2. Choose the camera program settings – You can always use exposure compensation with the fully automatic mode, but there is a better way. If you want to maximize the depth of field, switch to aperture priority and keep the camera aperture small. Of course this will decrease the shutter speed to allow more light to come in to the camera. Be sure the resulting exposure will not be at a shutter speed of less than 1/125th unless you are using a tripod.

If you are shooting a moving object, you’ll have to switch to shutter priority and set the shutter speed fast enough to eliminate blurring – usually at least 1/400th. Just keep in mind that, when you do this, the depth of field will suffer, so focus carefully on your main subject.

After you’ve selected aperture or shutter priority, take another photo and check the results. If the depth of field and sharpness are acceptable, now it’s time to use exposure compensation.

Most digital cameras allow you to increase or decrease the auto exposure setting by 2 stops in 1/3 stop increments. You’ll have to check your digital camera’s manual to see just how to do it. It varies by camera. Start by adjusting the exposure compensation + 2/3 or – 2/3, depending on whether your auto exposure photos was too light or too dark. Take another photo and check the results. If it’s still not right, make an additional adjustment to the exposure compensation and try again.

Exposure compensation gives you much more control over the exposure setting so your digital camera. Just remember, once you go to your next photo taking session, to be sure to return the + 2/3 or – 2/3 or whatever to -0-. Otherwise you’ll get exposure compensation on your next photos without wanting it.

Dave Hunt has shot landscape and scenic photos in almost all states of the US and in most countries in Europe. He is the author of numerous articles on photography, travel and recreation. You can find more articles, tips and how-to's, along with and the latest news and information on digital photography at: http://www.digitalphotographygeek.com For tips on travel and vacation ideasl, visit: http://www.deskatravel.com and http://www.bahamasbeat.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dave_Hunt

 

Some Tips For Good Travel Photography

By Andy Siitonen

 

Photography and travel photography in particular have been a passion of mine for a long time and now I would like to share some of the most important stuff I've learned over the years with our dear readers. I started with a Nikon EM SLR making mostly slides and upgraded to digital in 2002. The SLR had served me very well but I realized I could cut the cost of photography to almost nothing with digital technology. Making dozens of shots of the same subject means you're bound to have a good one eventually! Only a couple of years later I discovered the benefits of image editing software like Photoshop.

Enough history, let's move on to my tips. In this article I assume you have some experience with (digital) photography already and I concentrate on the specifics of "shooting on the road".

First, choose the right equipment. I like a semi-pro camera with a fixed lens and long zoom. The Panasonic Lumix series for example has exceptional value for money. Best travel photos happen fast. Most of the time you don't have time to change lenses. Fixed lens also means you have fewer problems with dust. I always keep my camera on auto-focus and auto-exposure. Remember, best photos happen fast. You can lose the action and/or the right light in seconds. Gone forever!

Also, have a decent quality back-up. I like my second camera to be quite small. If you get invited to a party usually nobody objects to photos taken with a small innocent looking "toy-camera". The same goes for temples, gatherings etc. However, do respect other people's privacy and local customs. A small light-weight tripod is useful for night/sunrise/sunset photography. Make sure it folds into your day-bag.

Secondly, learn to use your equipment at home before you travel. Know it inside out. Practice, practice, practice. When you get that once-in-a-lifetime shot you don't want to ruin it by fiddling with your camera. Also, read a few good books about photography in general and also on digital shooting techniques. Read them again and practice different techniques.

Ok, so now you're on the road. You see something captivating. Start shooting! Shoot a lot, maybe 10-20 shots of the same subject. Vary angles, shoot from distance and go closer, by foot or with your zoom. Where is the light coming from? What is essential for the shot? How to compose the shot? If you have done your homework, it helps.

Photographing people: This is a sensitive issue. Basically, you should always ask first. Even pointing at your camera and looking like a question mark is usually enough and you get a positive nod. If you are told "no", respect it. You'll find lots of people who actually want you to take their picture. If you talk with people, maybe show them some of your shots on your LCD they often get relaxed and trust you. Hang around later and you can shoot all you want. They might even pose for you voluntarily.

Photographing landscapes: Put your camera on aperture-priority and experiment with different apertures. Do you want a full depth of field or bring out details focusing on something interesting and using a wide aperture setting? If you shoot early in the morning or just before sunset you can get a much livelier and a more "three dimensional" photo because of the shadows. This is especially important for rural landscapes as fields of any crop look really flat without shadows.

Some maintenance tips: Remember that moisture, salt and dust are real digital camera killers! If the conditions are difficult keep your camera in its bag until the last moment. Take your shots, wipe out any visible moisture and dust (carefully!) and put your camera back in its bag. If it starts raining heavily, wrap your camera bag in a plastic bag. When you get back to your hotel, clean your camera at once. Don't give corrosion a chance. Take out the battery, memory card and everything else that comes off. Clean everything, preferably with a camera care kit. Don't forget to wipe the lens and filters. Fully charge your batteries and delete unwanted shots to free space on the memory cards.

You get home and download the treasure to your hard-drive. Now begins, at least for me, the most rewarding phase. But wait a second! Calibrate your monitor first. Many monitors ship with calibrating software. If yours didn't, most image-editing software come with something similar. If everything else fails, just use your eyes! Do pictures on this or any other site look natural to you? Adjust your monitor's brightness and contrast if necessary.

Make a hard-copy of your photos on CD/DVD and start playing with image-editing tools. Delete really bad shots. Copy the best ones to a different folder and edit them to your liking. I like to crop my photos a lot to bring out what is essential in every photo. Also adjust colours, shadows etc. Print on paper, put on your website or upload to Flickr or some other photo sharing site for everyone to enjoy and comment on. Done! Can't wait for the next trip... Practice more, read books, seek information over the internet, maybe join a camera club, attend photo exhibitions, even have your own? Ask at local libraries, shopping malls etc if they allow you to post your pics.

This is the equipment I use currently.

1. Primary camera: Panasonic Lumix DMZ-FZ30 , a real bargain these days with its 12x Leica lens, 8 MB and excellent usability

2. UV filter to protect the front lens of the camera

3. Polarizing filter for shooting early in the morning and late in the evening

4. Manfrotto tripod . These are widely regarded as the best

5. Camera bag

6. Lots of 2 GB SD memory cards and spare batteries

7. Plastic bag to protect my camera when it rains

8. Camera cleaning kit

9. Backup camera: Nikon Coolpix 3200

10. Photoshop for image editing

The following are the best photography books in my opinion. I really like Lee Frost's clear no-nonsense writing and step-by-step approach to showing you things.

Lee Frost's Creative Photography Handbook covers photography in general from basics to advanced issues, giving you lots of sound advice on composition, using light and other essential stuff. This book is a must if you want to learn from the master.

He has several other books published as well. I particularly like The A-Z of Creative Digital Photography which is all about digital shooting techniques as well as lots of very useful Photoshop hints for polishing your photos. Some other tips show you how to make really weird, yet interesting creations using Photoshop's filters. I've had many days of fun with this book!

Thank you for reading!

Andy Siitonen spends all his spare time traveling to remote and exotic countries and getting to know new people and cultures. Travel photography is one of his great passions. Website: http://www.farandfurther.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andy_Siitonen

 

Tips on Digital Photography - Tips and Techniques on Depth of Field

By Jack Landry

 

There are indeed many tips on digital photography that can be mastered to really improve your work. Below is one such explanation of the many digital photography tips and techniques. Depth of field can sometimes be a difficult and tricky thing for quite a lot of people to get their heads around. I know this for a fact since I was one of these people.

And just to prove that I’m not making this all up, I’ll have you know that a number of my photography friends also admitted to this fact! The problem doesn’t come in the beginning, but more towards the middle when you’re mired knee deep in the explanation and you realize that what you thought you understood wasn’t really what you should have understood.

Luckily for me though I now understand what depth of field is, and can make things work properly so I can take a good photograph. To put it simply though and to start you out in your explanation, let’s take a garden scene with a solitary rose right in the middle of it.

You want to take a picture of the rose, but you’re not sure how you want it to look so you start fiddling around with your camera and take a variety of different shots.

In the first shot you make it so that the rose and everything around it – the garden and its surroundings – are very sharp. Everything in this picture is sharp and clear.

Then you take another shot, but this time you place more emphasis on the rose, and put everything else slightly out of focus. You can still see various different forms from the background and you might be able to recognize them for what they are, but they’re not so well defined as earlier.

Foreground elements though, are still very much recognizable. Then you go the next step and take another photograph.

This time the rose is more prominent and eye catching, while both the foreground and the background aren’t as much, and most of it is blurred and blended in together.

The next shot that you take, you focus solely on the rose to the exclusion of everything else, and make both the foreground and the background completely unrecognizable as anything other than a convenient anonymous backdrop for you main focal point, the rose.

Now, although that was a demonstration of what depth of field can look like in a picture, it probably didn’t explain very well exactly what it is.

Some of you might have guessed, but for those of you who are wondering what on earth I’m talking about, just like I used to wonder on earth depth of field was all about, here it is in nice simple sentences. Depth of field, very simply stated, is how much of foreground and background you put into your photograph.

If you take any photographic scene, the sharpness in front of, and behind your subject is what you would call depth of field. If your subject is the main attraction with an out of focus front and back, you would have a shallow depth of field, and if you have the whole scene in sharp focus, both front and back, you would have a wide depth of field.

It’s not exactly confusing just yet is it? It might not be exactly clear either, but then again, just reading isn’t really going to solve all of your camera problems. You need to get out there with your camera and try different settings for you to be able to fully grasp and appreciate what depth of field is.

That being said, there are a few things that come into consideration when you’re looking into depth of field and those go along the lines of -- image magnification, lens aperture setting and the focal length of your lens. When each of these three variables comes into play, you’re faced with a variety of different options to choose from, and each of these will give you different results.

And this really is where experience comes in. If you’ve been playing around a bit and experimenting with your camera, taking many different shots and all that, you will have found out for yourself what different focal lengths, aperture settings and image magnifications come into play. For instance, the wider you open the lens aperture the more light that comes in, and the less sharp your photograph is going to be in certain areas.

The smaller you make your lens aperture, the less light comes in and the sharper your image will be. You can use these properties very nicely to control depth of field in your photographs.

Are you looking for information about tips on digital photography or digital photography tips and techniques? If you want to learn some amazing digital photography secrets that the gurus won't tell you, then visit http://www.digital-photo-secrets.info for more information. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jack_Landry

 

Photography Tips For All

By Duncan Wherrett

 

Photoshop is now one of the major computer programs around. The basis of it all, however, is the photographic image.

Very often the quality of the original image can get overlooked or can be considered unimportant. We hear sentences like: "Oh that'll do - we'll fix it later in Photoshop".

Perhaps it can, but starting off with a better photograph in the first place can save a lot of trouble later.
Well begun is half done. Here is the first of a series of tips to improve basic photography.

Landscapes are one of the most continually photographed subjects. Impressed by an attractive scene, most people quickly pick up the camera and snap. Unfortunately, the results are all to often disappointing.

The real scene has the direct experience of the sun's warmth, the breeze and general atmosphere. The photograph obviously misses these features. The real scene also has a depth and the eye moves around the landscape, seeing objects close by and far away, and so deliberately putting some depth into the photograph can make a great difference to the effectiveness of the picture.

A few moments used to select the right viewpoint can be well spent so it's best to avoid shooting too quickly. Look for ways to give the picture depth with a foreground, mid-ground and distance. This can often be achieved simply by moving one’s position just a few feet.

Standing near a path, hedge, fence or wall which stretches away into the distance will carry the eye from the foreground through to the distance, giving the picture the extra dimension of depth. Rivers and streams, stretching into the distance, can be used to serve the same function with the added advantage of sparkling with light and reflecting a blue sky.

Whether the photograph is framed to give a vertical picture (portrait format) or horizontal picture (landscape format) will always be dictated by purely visual considerations. Just what is visually most effective in any particular situation will determine whether we should take a landscape or portrait format photograph.

Street scenes are another popular subject in this category. Streets in villages, old market towns or the endless variety of town scenes in other countries provide a continuous source of interest. Looking down a street automatically gives the picture a certain depth. Finding a suitable item for the foreground can help this along. This might be such things as a quaint shop front, a market stall, the wing of a car or a person.

In this way, the photograph will have a strong foreground and the street will carry the eye into the picture. But watch out for any rubbish lying around. In real life, a couple of bin bags can go unnoticed in the general stimulus of a new environment, but they will shout out at you when you see the printed photograph.

So have a strong foreground, as well as the distance, and if possible have subject matter in the foreground, the middle-distance and the far distance.

Looking through an archway or standing by a tree so that the branches frame the picture will give a strong foreground and serve to give the photograph a good impression of the depth there will be in the actual scene. Other objects can be found in the country to have a similar effect, such as flowering shrubs, gates, pieces of farm machinery or perhaps a charging bull.

Photography Tips

* Put depth into the photograph
* Have a strong foreground
* Don't shoot too quickly

To see sample images which illustrate these points, please go to http://www,photoshop-tutorials-plus.com/photography_tips.html

Duncan Wherrett

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Duncan_Wherrett

 

Advertising Photography - The Art of Conceptual Imagery

By Jack Whites 

 

If savouring unique and significant moments in life is your game, then you can be a potential player of photography. It is that art, which enables you to record special moments as images, and if you prefer spicing it up with lots of creativity and conceptualisation, then your Mecca is advertising photography. This offshoot of the mentally stimulating art offers enough space for people to tinker with their creative urges and project imagery in a conceptually saleable manner.

Advertising photography is not always about capturing the finer things in life, as just about anything that can be arguably projected in a highly thought provoking manner. It, of course depends on the individual perceptions of the beholders. And, that's how such photographs sound even more interesting as they carry a message that would hardly seem comprehensible at the first look. The wizardry to render the images in such a fashion obviously depends on the photographers themselves.

To be a good photographer, it is always necessary to have a keen eye for details and an alert mind to visualise things in a picturesque sense, and qualifying as a player of advertising photography calls for even greater skills. Not only do you require a sound knowledge of the application of light and angle to come out with good results, you have to penetrate the psyche of the buyers of a particular product to promote it in a creative fashion.

The hallmark of a saleable Advertising photography is the ability to crack the expectations of the buyers by inducing intrigue within them. The object of the imagery might have no relation altogether with the subject, although good concept would drive the nail home.

About The Author: Jack White is a specialist in Advertising photography and other kinds of photography. He has worked in close coordination with many an expert commercial photographer of UK and other countries. In his works he is presenting some of his observation on the role of commercial photographer in advertising photography. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jack_Whites

 

Photography - Taking Photographs for Pleasure and Profit

By Joshua Spaulding 

 

Have you ever wondered why photography has such an international appeal for all ages? Is it simply because we want to remember exactly what something was like? Were the summers really this good? Were the winters really this bad? What did my prospective partner look like when they were growing up or more so before the plastic surgery. The recollections of the past are often clouded and despite the fact that colors of photos tend to fade over the years the image itself is enough to bring the day or time vividly to memory.

Today with all the improvements in technology there are anti-shake devices to make sure that photography can still be enjoyed despite advancing years. Also digital cameras mean you do not have to complete a film of 24 or 36 exposures before you see the results. Historians are concerned that many photographs that could be of historical importance are not being printed and so in a hundred years time or so they will not be able to read the CD’s they are on. Another issue may be that photos of an enemy’s countryside are not available for the security services as they were at the start of World War II

Do not follow the crowd. I hate watching a crowd of Japanese tourists all taking the same photograph from the same angle. Stand ten or twenty yards away to the right or the left and get a different angle and light on the subject. It seems so obvious but to many it is not.

You may be reading this article and saying I cannot afford to buy a digital camera. Keep your eyes open. You will find many bargains around online and once you have a camera you will be able to make money from it. Remember that almost any mistake with a digital camera can be put right, often with the free software that came with the camera.

Enjoy your photography as a hobby, but while you do, consider making some money out of it. Sell your photos online. If you only have prints then do not worry as you can purchase a scanner (either as a printer/scanner/copier combination or on its own) to scan in photos. You can even purchase a scanner that will scan in slides or negatives. Old photographs have a market in the internet as well as those from today.

Joshua Spaulding is an Author and Webmaster providing Proven ways to Make Money Online. If you would like to learn how you can Sell Photos Online visit http://ez-onlinemoney.com/ Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joshua_Spaulding

 

Some Cool Printing Digital Photography Tips

By Francisco Segurata

 

Are you having problems printing your photographs? The colors just do not appear to be the same when they come out of your printer than what you see no your screen. Well, You have finally mastered your digital camera, but now you are worried about the best technique to use in printing digital photography. There are several elements that influence your prints.

Printing digital photography requires that you have a little bit of knowledge about colors and different types of inks and papers you can use. Look at your printing manual, and check out the help section of your photo editing software. There are some great printing digital photography tips here.

One of the influencing elements in getting printing digital photography right is the color of both your photograph and the printing colors of your printer.

Elements that are easily fixed that affect your printing digital photography

* The inks that you use when printing digital photography can affect the type of photograph you get. Make sure you use quality photo inks when you print photographs.

* Use good quality photo paper when printing digital photography. There are several types of paper on the market today. You can get glossy, semi gloss and mat papers for digital photography needs.

If you use the above items, there really is no reason for your images to come out any differently then what you see on the screen.

Use A Laser Color printer

Laser color printers are not as expensive as they used to be and their color saturation is magnificent. You can pick up a color laser printer for about $300 now a days. This type of printer will do wonders with your digital photography and your art work

Try Using Specialized Papers for Printing Digital Photography

If you have some really astounding photographs then you might want to try some of the specialty papers for printing digital photography.

A great paper to try is Canvas paper. Canvas paper makes your photographs look like real works of art because of the texture they have. It makes your prints look very elegant and distinctive.

Besides when the colors are printed on this material the inks become long lasting and wont fade as they do with other papers. Canvas paper also resists humidity much better and can be used both indoors and out.

If you are going to do photo enlargements then you definitely want to use canvas paper as it will give you that high definition you want.

If you are not really interested in buying any more supplies or equipment, you can always take your digital photographs to a photo lab and have them print the photographs for you. Printers at a photo lab as specialized printers that have high quality color. Your pictures will come out great every time. These labs do not charge very much for printing out your photographs either, so this may be a viable option for you.

Francisco Segura owns and operates http://www.digitalphotographyweb.com Digital Photography Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Francisco_Segurata

 

Digital Photography Secrets That Will Help Anyone Take Pictures Like a Pro

By Enwelimikwu Anthony

 

Practically anyone can purchase a camera and start taking pictures by framing a subject and clicking away at the button; especially with the use of a digital camera which offers an array of functions that allow you to perform various tasks. This includes taking instantaneous pictures. Digital cameras can also store images which you can later put into your computer, which then you may print, distribute to your friends via email, or upload on your website. However, for those who take photography seriously and view photography as more of an art form; taking photographs is not just a matter of clicking at a button to take pictures. It requires practice and planning.

Below are proven secrets that will enable anyone, even beginners, take good digital pictures.

1. Learn how your camera works: Even though most cameras come with a "Point and Shoot" or "Auto" setting, by relying on this for all of your shots, you are badly restricting your chances of taking excellent photos. Almost all cameras have many modes, and by taking a moment to evaluate the conditions of the shot and choosing the correct mode, you will find your photographs will be much improved. Modes most often found are: "Portrait" when taking pictures of people or close objects, use this setting if you would like to have the subject clear and the background (if it's distant) slightly indistinct; "Action" for quickly moving objects, or in a low-light situation and prefer not to use the flash, choose this setting to have the camera select a fast shutter speed, which will freeze a moving object; "Scenery" this mode selects settings for distance shots; "Nighttime" choose this for low-light situations if you have a tripod, as the shutter speed will be slow and motion will be blurred; "Macro" excellent for extreme close-ups, great for photographing nature, such as insects or flowers. If you use the correct mode, the camera works with you to depict your subject in the most excellent way possible. It may be that you have manual settings available on your camera, but the use of these is not covered in this article, as they require more advanced technique.

2. Pay attention to the elements in your picture: Generally, when shooting a picture, people look only at the subject in the middle and then are astonished when they view the picture and see a telephone pole coming out of their mother's hat! Radically improve the quality of your photographs simply by imagining what the camera is seeing - the whole shot. Notice some ugly wires across the top, any busy or distracting background, and if so, take steps to alter the shot to do away with these problem areas. When taking shots of people, try to have them fill most of the shot. Faces make appealing photos, much more so than whole bodies, for the most part. Chose what the point of the picture is, and then take the shot with that in mind. A little care in the setting up phase will be well rewarded.

3. Be aware of your camera angle: In some movies, you will often find that when an evil character is filmed, the camera points up at him, which distorts the subject and makes him, look ominous. When taking still photographs, it is also true that angling your shot will create a distortion, creating a point of view, often not one you meant. Be certain that you are even with your subject unless you desire to create a precise effect. Photos of children and animals are often dramatically improved by adjusting camera level. When you become level with them, you correct the usual distortion that occurs when taking the shot from above. For pets and babies, lying on the floor can help to take better photos.

4. Hold your camera steady: Even though this point is fairly obvious, it is good to be reminded of it. When the camera moves around while shooting, the resulting photo will be blurry. Don't push the shutter button - squeeze it gently. When taking shots in low light, be sure to use a tripod or find some other way to support the camera.

5. Shoot tons of pictures: With the advent of the digital camera, being miserly with your picture-taking does not make any sense. You have no film, no processing, and you only print what you like, so go to town and take loads of tries. Professional photographers take many shots of each scene, aware that each one is slightly different, and taking more improves the chance of an excellent shot. Experiment with lighting, angles and composition. If you are taking moving subjects, you should use the "Burst" setting if your camera has one, to take many pictures in quick succession. At the end of the day, you'll find you have many more "keepers".

Take batteries and an extra memory card with you: There’s nothing worse than getting ready to take the most important shot of the day, and finding that your battery has just died. Act like the pros and be prepared. Have an extra charged battery or a new pack if your camera uses alkaline batteries, and take a spare unused memory card. Someday you'll be glad you did.

The difference between a snapshot taker and a photographer is not due as much to the camera, but in how the camera is used. Practice the basics laid out here, and you will be using the techniques of professional photographers - knowing how your camera works and choosing settings for the proper circumstances, carefully designing the shot, taking notice of your camera angle, using flash cautiously and with care, correctly supporting the camera, taking loads of pictures, and being properly equipped.

So, spend a little time getting to know your camera, and get out and take pictures. Soon you will be shooting photographs that you can proudly treasure always.

Are you interested in learning everything about Digital Photography? Then try visiting http://www.StudyDigitalPhotography.com where you can get plenty of information for regular folks, and many ideas to improve your own digital photography. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Enwelimikwu_Anthony

 

How Many Megapixels Equal Digital Photography Success?

If you are looking for a digital camera, you no doubt have been met with the term megapixel, or MP. This probably sounds like a foreign language, but there is no reason to fear the terms. Instead, with some patience and careful research it is possible to really understand what a megapixel is, and what it means for your pictures. The first thing you should understand is all digital cameras have a MP or megapixel rating.

In digital photography megapixel tell you how many pixels your picture has, which directly relates to how large you can make your picture. If you have a camera that only has a 2MP size, you are going to be lucky to make that picture the size of a stamp. However, a camera that has a 6MP rating will be able to give you a gigantic poster sized picture that you can treasure forever, and see from more than 2 inches away. However, you should also realize that megapixel size will also affect your picture quality.

For example, a picture taken from the exact same distance with a 4MP and a 6MP camera are going to look very different. The 6MP camera will have much less blur and will be a crisp and sharp picture. Many digital cameras now come with sizes as large as 10MP without breaking the bank. You can purchase cameras with 10MP for as little as a few hundred dollars.

If you are looking for digital photography success with making large poster sized portraits then you really need to splurge the money on a camera with a high megapixel rating. You should never select a camera smaller than 7MP if you are planning on poster-sized prints. However, if you are only planning on doing pictures to a maximum size of 8x10 then you can stay to a camera in the 6MP and smaller range.

As you can see, the megapixel size you select has a huge impact on how much digital photography success you will really have. If you do not have very many needs for an advanced digital camera then you can save the money and just purchase a cheaper digital camera with a smaller megapixel size. However, if you want your camera to last as long as possible, and grow with all of your potential needs then splurging for the advanced camera can be a very good long term investment.

Chris Wight has been dabbling in photography since he was child playing in his dad's darkroom. You can learn more about digital photography at his site: http://www.digitalphotosuccess.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Wight

 

Freelance Photography: How to Begin Your Career

Photography is a vast world. There are many different types of photography and many different kinds of people that enjoy it. It’s a hobby that be relatively inexpensive or one that you can invest a lot of money on. Photos are so special because they give us memories of times and places and events in our lives. We can hold onto these memories forever with a photograph.

As much as people love photos, many people love taking them even more. Whether it’s a mother who takes photos at every of her children’s moments in life (first smile, first step, first spaghetti meal) or maybe it’s the father who never forgets his camera for a football or basketball game, or maybe it’s the young girl who loves nature hikes with her camera; these people are not exceptions. They all have an eye for those special moments and they all appreciate the camera’s ability to capture that moment and freeze it in time forever.

- What is Freelance Photography?